Seven persons were killed after some portion of a limestone mine collapsed on them at their village in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh on Friday, police said.

The deceased included six women, they said.

The incident took place in Maalgaon village under Nagarnar police station area, around 12 km away from Jagdalpur, the headquarter of the district, a police official here said.

“The victims were digging soil in the mine when a part of it caved in, due to which they got trapped under the debris,” he said.

Soon after being alerted about it, police personnel rushed to the spot and launched the rescue operation, he said.

While five persons died on the spot, two others succumbed while they were being shifted to a hospital, he said.

As per the preliminary information, only seven persons were digging the soil but the rescue work is still underway, he added.